


The Melancholy of NEVER

by hanekawa



Category: Kamen Rider W | Masked Rider Double
Genre: Crack, Gen, Spoilers for KRW: Forever A to Z movie, The Special Mercenary Force "NEVER"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 17:50:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanekawa/pseuds/hanekawa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Philip totally fails at being a prisoner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Melancholy of NEVER

**Author's Note:**

> Just a reminder, NEVER are Katsumi (kamen rider Eternal), Kyosui (Luna dopant), Reika (Heat dopant), Gozo (Metal dopant), Ken (Trigger dopant).
> 
> Originally posted in 2011.04.17 [here.](http://mi-key.livejournal.com/44258.html)

.

.

.

 **i.**

The moment Katsumi is seen entering Fuuto Tower with Philip in his arms, a mighty scream is heard in the tower’s control room.

“What, dammit, what?!” Gozo shouts, accidentally breaking open the doors in his haste to get in, his long Rod at the ready. “Did those pests finally manage to get through our defense?!”

When Kyosui turns to him, Kyosui’s face looks completely shocked, with his eyes blown wide and his mouth frozen open. “Katsumi-chan is… Katsumi-chan is—“

“What, did that asshole get caught?! Dammit, I told him not to get too cocky!” Gozo mutters, flexing his shoulders muscles, while his free hand already dialing Ken’s number. “A great fighter, my ass! Who chose him as our leader, anyway? I sure as hell didn’t! Hello, Ken? Get back to the tower immediately! Katsumi is—“

“—has finally reached puberty!”

Gozo’s phone clutters to the floor.

A pause, as Gozo tries to make sense of that statement. “…huh?”

“Just look at that!” Kyosui exclaims, gesturing frantically at one of the monitors—which currently tracking Katsumi’s progress as he slowly makes his way to the control room.

Gozo frowns. “What about it?”

Kyosui lets out an impatient huff. “See what he has in his arms!”

“…what…about it?”

“He finally brings his _lover_ to meet us!” Kyosui claims excitedly.

Another pause, as Gozo’s brain tries to process that particular leap of logic.

“Moreover, Katsumi-chan carries _his lover_ bridal style! How romantic!”

“…did you actually notice the part where _the person_ Katsumi’s carrying appears to be _unconscious?_ And therefore, Katsumi might have no choi--”

“As expected of our great leader!” Kyosui keeps exclaiming breathlessly. “Who would have thought he would have such a gentle soul hidden deep beneath all those awful personality and terrible manne—ARGH!”

There’s a loud _crack_ sound as Kyosui’s body hits the wall—hard, making considerable dent on said wall, before gravity pulls him back to the floor in a boneless heap.

“Oh dear.” Katsumi says, planting his foot—firmly—on Kyosui’s unmoving back, most probably breaking several more bones in the process. “I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

“A-as expected of o-our es-esteemed lea-leader,” Kyosui says, voice muffled, “y-your s-surprise kick is great as a-always, Katsumi-chan!”

Gozo sighs. “Katsumi, what is that?” he asks, gesturing to the thing (person?) Katsumi’s still carrying about.

“Ah.” Katsumi says, looking down at the dead weight in his arms, not quite smirking, “this is our Main Program, the infamous original Data Human: Sonozaki Raito.” He frowns. “Or Philip, as he prefers to be called.”

Gozo stares. Then he opens his mouth—

“Also, he’s _off limit._ ” Katsumi interrupts him. “Lay a hand on him— _lay a hand on him_ , and I promise the retribution won’t be pretty.” Then he smiles, displaying way too many teeth, before he walks to the center of the room and lays the kid down, oh-so-carefully.

“Huh.” Gozo says.

And then, with a last warning look at Gozo, Katsumi saunters back out of the room.

“Oi, Kyosui,” Gozo kicks Kyosui’s foot, “Did Katsumi just warn me over _another person_? Katsumi, that self-absorbed asshole?”

“Mmpffhh.” Kyosui says from where his body’s still mending itself back on the floor.

Gozo scowls. “You’re no help.”

“Pfth.” Kyosui says.

 

 

 **ii.**

“He’s cute, though.” Kyosui says for the _nth_ time.

“So not the point.” Gozo barely refrains himself from scowling outright.

Standing watch over the kid, Gozo with his arms crossed, Kyosui with one hand under his chin, they both stare at the kid’s prone form. They’re also careful to keep at least one meter distance from the kid, just in case Katsumi—

Just in case.

“Considering Katsumi-chan _only_ forbade us to lay a _hand_ over this kid,” Kyosui says with a mischievous smile, “that means we could touch him—so long as we don’t use our hands. Right?”

Gozo frowns. “That doesn’t sound… illogical.”

“So if I’m wearing gloves,” Kyosui says excitedly, putting on said gloves, “that means my _gloves_ are the ones touching him, and not my _hands_ , right?”

Gozo frowns some more. “That…doesn’t sound…illogical.”

“Yosh! Here I go!” Kyosui exclaims, his foot crossing over that one meter distance and—

“How can you be sure Katsumi’s not having this room monitored?”

They both instantly turn to the source of the new voice; there, lounging at the doorframe, his face as emotionless as ever, is none other than Ashihara Ken.

“Ken-chan!” Kyosui exclaims. Then promptly throws himself at the newcomer.

Ken sidesteps him swiftly.

“Mou~ Ken-chan!” Kyosui pouts from where he’s crashed to the floor, “How cruel! Why did you dodge?”

Ken glances down at him, an eyebrow raised slightly. For such an emotionless bastard, his eyebrows sure are _expressive_ , Gozo notes. And then frowns. “Ken, aren’t you supposed to be at the northern area of the city right now?”

“Kyosui’s Masquerade Dopants already took care of it.” Ken says, his attention already at the kid’s still form, not even sparing Gozo a glance. “Huh.” Ken says, doing the creepy-stare thing again.

“Considering it’s _Katsumi_ who went to fetch him, I thought the kid would be beaten to a near-death! Yet here the kid is, looking unharmed! Except for a few cuts on his cute face!” Kyosui says in a weird-sounding baritone, his usually fluid gestures awkward and stifled.

Gozo and Ken stare at him.

“I… have this strange feeling he’s trying to imitate you.” Gozo tells Ken, looking rather disturbed.

Ken’s left eye twitches. “…unacceptable.”

“Hey!” Kyosui protests, “I can _so_ imitate Ken!” and then he proceeds to show what he obviously thinks the way Ken moves.

Ken’s left eye twitches some more.

“Argh! Stop it!” Gozo screams, throwing his fists into the air. “No you can’t, Kyosui! For one thing, you move around too much! Just look at him!” he points a finger in Ken’s direction, “just how many times do you think that guy moves in a day? All you had to do is pretend to be a statue, and you’ll imitate him fine!”

Ken sends Gozo an unimpressed look.

“What?” Gozo scowls. “It’s true!”

“I agree, actually.”

“See? Even he agrees with m—“ Gozo trails off as he realizes both Kyosui and Ken are on either side of him, and none of them had opened their mouths. “Eh? _Eh?_ ”

Slowly, so very slowly, they all turn around. And do a double take.

“Hello there!” the supposedly-unconscious-kid says, smiling and giving them a little wave of his hand, looking very much conscious and standing, _totally unafraid._

What the hell.

“Hi!” Kyosui, the eternally happy guy that he is, immediately waves back and gives the kid a bright smile of his own.

Gozo smacks Kyosui’s head. And then pulls him aside. “This is no time for greeting, you moron!”

“EHH?!” Kyosui pouts. “Why not?”

“Think about our situation! We’re the kidnappers—we’re supposed to strike fear into our hostage! In fact, we should start by tying the kid up!”

“Gozo-chan! I didn’t know you’re into bondage!”

Gozo smacks him again. “Be serious! We couldn’t let the kid take us lightly!”

“But Gozo-chan…” Kyosui positively whines, “Ken-chan is already introducing himself over there!”

“Huh?” Gozo turns around. And blinks.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ashihara Ken.” Ken tells the kid, shaking his hand _without_ trying to crush it. “You could call me Ken.”

The kid laughs. The kid actually _laughs._ “And I’m Philip.” The kid keeps on smiling. “I remember you! You’re the one with T2 Trigger Memory, aren’t you? Oh man, Terui Ryu totally hates you, just so you know.”

“Nice.” Ken says. “Would you like some tea?”

Gozo elbows him aside. “What are you doing?!” he stage-whispers. “The kid is an enemy! An enemy! Have you all forgotten that?!”

Ken raises an eyebrow. “There’s no guarantee he would be alive after Katsumi’s done with him. What’s wrong with making nice with people who would possibly be no longer alive at this time tomorrow?”

Gozo stares. Parts his lips. Shuts them. Blinks. Frowns. “…he’s no people.” Even to his own ears, it sounds _weak_.

“Just like we’re not?” Ken actually looks amused. What the hell.

Gozo scowls. “Whatever.”

Ken gives him this look, like he’s measuring him or something. Then one corner of his mouth lifts up, forming something that’s not a smirk, and yet not quite a smile. As he passes him, Ken squeezes his shoulder lightly. “He,” _just like us,_ “looks like human. It should be enough reason, don’t you think?”

And off Ken goes, to where Kyosui’s probably flirting like crazy while making a fool of himself in front of the kid.

 _Urgh,_ Gozo thinks, fisting his hands, _How irritating~_ How would anyone reply to such a statement anyway? Ken, that bastard!

“…and Mr. Scowling over there,” comes Kyosui’s voice, “is Domoto Gozo. He likes to think he’s tough, but the truth is, he’s actually a real softie on the inside.”

A vein appears on Gozo’s forehead. Slowly—very slowly, he turns around, his Rod at the ready. “KI. YO. SU. I.”

“Ohh, scary!” Kyosui makes a mock-afraid face. And then promptly runs as Gozo’s Rod comes a flying, followed by Gozo himself—leaving nothing behind them but residual dusts and the echo of Kyosui’s laughter.

“How interesting.” Philip says. “Is it always this… noisy?”

“For better _and_ worse.” Ken says. “Now, how about that tea?”

 

 

 **iii.**

“So,” Kyosui says, smiling a shark’s smile, “What would you do, Gozo-chan? Do choose wisely. It’s your _soul_ at stake, after all.”

Gozo swallows.

“It’s okay.” Philip tells him lightly. “Just take your time. I understand it’s not easy to make a decision.”

Ken raises an eyebrow.

“Just pick one already.” Kyosui whispers gleefully. “Time is a running~”

“Argh! Fine! I fold!” Gozo claims, slapping his cards on the table.

A pause, as each of them examines the other’s cards slowly.

Kyosui clears his throat. “After counting all the cards, I declare the winner is… Philip-chan!”

“Yay!” Philip says, and then takes Kyosui’s hands before they both start jumping up and down in excitement, like the kids they probably still are.

“Wait a minute!” Gozo shouts, hitting the table with both fists, “Don’t you think it’s weird how he wins by having Royal Straight Flush five times in a row? He’s clearly cheating!”

“What a sore loser.” Kyosui says disapprovingly, hugging the kid to his chest. “When you lose, you should take it gracefully, instead of accusing the winner for an unfair play.”

“A-a sore loser?!” Gozo exclaims in disbelief.

“Philip-chan, try not to be a sore loser like him when you grow up, okay?” Kyosui tells the kid.

“ _Excuse me?_ ”

“I’ll try!” The kid promises, nodding his head, looking like he totally means it.

Ken turns his head away.

Gozo glares at him. “You totally snorted just now, didn’t you, asshole?”

Ken merely gives Gozo his _who, me?_ expression.

“See? Even Ken-chan agrees!” Kyosui claims triumphantly, one hand still around the kind’s shoulders.

A vein appears on Gozo’s forehead. “Don’t you guys think something is very wrong here?! We’re the kidnappers here! We’re not supposed to play cards with our prisoner—of all things! And you!” Gozo directs his glare the kid’s way, “can’t you at least try to behave more like a prisoner?! We kidnapped you! You’re not supposed to act like this is just a school trip! Show a little worry or something!”

The kid blinks. “There’s actually a manual on how to become a proper prisoner?”

Gozo glares harder at him.

“What a bad temper!” Kyosui says, hugging the kid again. “Philip-chan, definitely don’t turn up like him when you grow up, okay? Or you won’t be popular with the ladies!”

Ken still has his face turned away, but now there’s a slight tremor to the set of his shoulders.

“And you!” Gozo turns back his attention to Ken, “Stop laughing, dammit! Are you guys even listening to me here?!”

“We totally do.” Ken says blandly, like he hasn’t actually been laughing until a second ago.

“We just choose to ignore it.” Kyosui says cheerfully. “Besides, it’s just a game! What’s the harm in lending Philip-chan your Gaia Memory for a second? I mean, he won square and all.”

“That’s why I’ve been asking you: why are we betting Gaia Memories on a poker game? Why can’t we just use something else like normal people? Like money. Or clothes.”

Kyosui leers. “Aww~ Gozo-chan! If you want to see me naked, you could just say so~” and then he starts unfastening his jacket.

The glare Gozo sends Kyosui’s way could totally level a mountain. “Go die in a fire. Painfully.”

“I also don’t see the harm in you lending Philip your Memory.” Ken says. “It’s not like Philip has a Memory connector planted.”

“Um.” Philip says, drawing their attentions, “Actually, I could use a Gaia Memory without having a connector.” When they all stare at him, he adds, “some parts of my body are mostly constructions of data, remember? And Gaia Memories are… well. Data, but in a very advanced form.” He looks rather sheepish, strangely enough.

“…interesting.” Ken says.

Gozo turns to Kyosui with a near smirk. “See? That’s why we shouldn’t lend him our—”

“Philip-chan, catch!”

Philip does. When he opens his hand, Gozo could see a silver and a yellow colored Memories in his hand. “Ehh?!” the kid says excitedly.

“You’re welcome!” Kyosui salutes cheerfully.

“…Kyosui.” Gozo says, his temper barely in check, “when did you steal my Memory?”

“Well.” Kyosui says with an infuriating grin, “five minutes ago, I think? When I asked you to hurry up and decide already?”

Gozo smiles sweetly. And then activates his metal Rod. “Prepare to be chop off into bits, you sorry excuse for a team member.”

“Eep! Ken-chan, save me!” Kyosui hides behind Ken’s taller form.

Gozo glares at them both.

“Oh look! The kid’s glowing.” Ken says unexpectedly.

Gozo turns around automatically. It’s hard to ignore the voice of reason when the voice of reason is usually always right—even when said voice of reason acts like an emotionless bastard most of the time. And Ken’s right; the kid’s body is _glowing._ Eyes closed with his left hand holding the two Gaia Memories, and his right hand lifted up, palm up, there really seems to be something glowing about the kid. It looks, judging from the shadows and the course of the illumination, like it comes from the floor, from around the kid’s feet. And yet there’s nothing there.

Gozo continues staring.

“Think we should shake him off of it?” Kyosui asks worriedly.

“Let’s just wait.” Ken says. “We still don’t know much about him to judge what’s this…light thing is. Might just be an effect of the Gaia Memory.”

“I _told_ you we shouldn’t lend him the Memories.” Gozo mutters irritably.

A few moments later, the light fades, and they all watch as the kid opens his eyes slowly. The kid blinks, looking a bit disoriented, seeming like he doesn’t know where he is. Then his eyes fall on the two T2 Memories in his left hand.

“As I thought,” the kid says, seemingly to himself, a frown on his forehead, “the Eternal Memory is really the only one with the capability to control other Memories.”

“Huh?” Gozo says. Then looks at his team members. Kyosui shakes his head. Ken shrugs, but he still presses a finger to his lips. _Wait._

“Ah.” The kid gives out a surprise smile, looking like he finally comes to himself and notices their presences, “there you are. Thank you for these!” and then he sends the Memories flying towards them—which Gozo and Kyosui catch, of course.

“Ne, ne, Philip-chan? What was that just now?” Kyosui asks wonderingly. When the kid gives him a questioning look, he adds, “that light! You were, like, _glowing_ or something. And you also really looked out of it.”

The kid laughs. “…glowing? I don’t know what you’re talking about. But just now, I was looking up some things in the Planetary Bookshelf.”

Ah. So that was what— _oh crap_. Gozo, Ken, and Kyosui exchange a look. _Definitely *never* tell Katsumi about this. Ever._

“Ehh…! So that’s how you *always* look when you’re visiting that Planetary Bookshelf?” Kyosui grins excitedly. “The light surrounding you is so pretty, Philip-chan!”

“Really?” the kid looks mildly confused, Gozo notes. “Shoutarou never told me what it was like for the outsiders when I was in a look up mode…”

“Really! Really!” Kyosui nods, taking the kid’s hands in his. Then he turns toward Gozo. “Right, Gozo-chan?”

Gozo glares at him. “No, I wouldn’t know about that, since no male should know or use the word ‘pretty’!”

A pause.

“…what a bad character.” Kyosui mutters, hugging the kid. Again. “Definitely don’t grow up to be him, Philip-chan!”

Ken’s shoulders are already shaking. Again.

Gozo stares at them all hatefully. Sometimes, he wishes he could just drown his teammates in a lake. Scratch that. No, most of the time. No, make that _always._

“…what are you doing?”

Gozo’s head turns toward the entrance so fast he nearly gets a whiplash. And then when his eyes fall on the figure standing by the doorway, he instantly—

“Katsumi-chan!”

Gozo blinks. It wasn’t him who just shouted out that name, right? Besides, why did it sound kinda… strangled? He turns toward Kyosui, and. Blinks. Right. Kyosui still has his arms around the kid, and Katsumi’s order has specified them not to—

Oh crap.

“What?” Katsumi says, a slight smirk on his lips. “You all look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Philip blinks. “You know,” he begins, "considering the requirement to be a member of NEVER is you’ve got to have been dead for at least once, that statement is actually rather accu—”

“AAH! Katsumi-chan, you look rather cheery!” Kyosui shouts, drowning out the rest of the kid’s words, “has something good been happening?”

Katsumi merely raises an eyebrow at Kyosui. “Sort of.” Then his eyes sweep over them once more, and linger on the kid—still being held in Kyosui’s arms. “Why, aren’t you getting along well together.” He smiles.

Gozo feels a shiver run down his spine. He tries to (discreetly) warn Kyosui to let go of the kid, but clearly this isn’t Kyosui’s lucky day.

“We are, aren’t we, Philip-chan?” Kyosui directs a big grin at the kid. And then looks at Katsumi challengingly.

Huh. Maybe Kyosui’s not as oblivious as Gozo believes him to be, after all.

Katsumi just—shrugs. “Fine, then. I thought I was just going to see how you’re doing.” Katsumi says, his half-smirk still in place. He’s enjoying their discomfort, that bastard. “Especially _you_.” He looks straight at Philip, “I didn’t hit you too hard, did I?”

Philip blinks, slowly. “Not…exactly.” The kid actually _answers._ Gozo’s heard the kid lacks common sense, but he never thought it’s actually true! “You hit me right in the solar plexus, and therefore managed to knock me out without damaging my body too much.” The kid frowns. “In fact, compared to when I fought you as Double, I could say you let me off lightly this time.”

That explanation sounds strangely… technical. Which Kyosui clearly notices, since he pulls away slightly and asks the kid, “But are you really okay? I mean, does your body still hurt somewhere? Do you feel some pain? Feel lightheaded, perhaps?”

Ken coughs.

The kid just blinks at Kyosui’s attention. “Not really. My body recovers fast, after all.”

Kyosui glares at Katsumi.

Katsumi looks at him coolly. “In case you forgot, I wasn’t the only one who fought him when he was Double. You all were there, too.”

“But I didn’t know the ones transformed into Double were actually _that_ cute!” Kyosui exclaims, hugging the kid again.

“Ohmf.” The kid says.

A pause, as it turns suddenly awkward for some reason.

Ken coughs again.

Gozo just scowls.

“Ohmf.” The kid says again, muffled this time.

“Look,” Katsumi says, “I don’t care who, but could someone please pull Kyosui away from Philip? It doesn’t look like Philip could breathe.”

“AH! Philip-chan! I’m so soorrryyy!!! Philip-chan? Philip-chan! PHILIP-CHAN!!!”

Gozo watches the scene before him impassively. “Don’t you find it ironic,” he tells Ken, “that an innocent hug actually does more damage than a fatal hit to the stomach?”

Ken just coughs again.

 

 

 **iv.**

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” the kid says, “do you also think of your teammates as your _makeshift family_?”

Gozo chokes.

The all stare at Philip.

“What,” Ken says with apparent difficulty, while Kyosui giggling uncontrollably behind him, “makes you say that?”

Philip blinks. “What, you mean you don’t?”

“Look, don’t you see how Kats—“ Gozo coughs, “I mean, _a certain someone_ here always try to kill the other members? So how could you even ask such a question even after seeing that?”

Katsumi looks at Gozo impassively. “…you’re totally about to mention my name just now, aren’t you?”

Kyosui giggles harder.

“You mean normal families don’t actually do that?” Philip asks, sounding a little surprise.

“Of course not!” Gozo scowls, totally not ignoring Katsumi.

“Well, it’s just that,” Philip says, “while Shoutarou and Aki-chan never tries to kill each other seriously, in my _real_ family, my oldest sister always tries to kill my second sister on monthly basis. And then my oldest sister always ends up killing her male companions. While my father already tries to kill his wife and first daughter at least once.”

Silence, as they all stare at Philip.

“…just what kind of family did you come from?” Gozo says in disbelief.

Philip frowns at them. “I’ve always thought it’s pretty generic for a family member to try killing the other members, and Shoutarou and Aki-chan is just a special case.”

“No, seriously.” Gozo says. “Just what kind of childhood have you been living anyway?”

“Gozo has muscle for brain, but he’s right, Philip.” Katsumi says, taking Philip’s hands in his.

“ _Excuse me_?” Gozo shouts in outrage.

“Real families do not _*try*_ to kill each other.” Katsumi tells the kid, looking right into his eyes. “Real families _*kill*_ each other instead.”

Silence.

Philip blinks.

“If you only _*try*_ ,” Katsumi continues, “then it means you don’t _mean_ it.”

“…and just what kind of family did _*he*_ come from?” Gozo asks, completely stunned.

Ken shrugs.

In the background, Kyosui keeps on laughing himself sick.

 

 

 **v.**

“What,” Reika says, “is _that_ thing doing here?”

A pause.

“Reika-chan!” Kyosui exclaims happily, “You’re back!”

Katsumi sends her an unimpressed look. “Did you forget our plan already? Especially the part about—“

“Which is why,” Reika says, gritting her teeth and glaring at the kid, “I ask: What. Is he doing. _Here_! Here, at the control room, and not the underground basement!”

Another pause. And then a jumble of noise, as Gozo and Kyosui jump to make excuses about their un-villain-y behaviors at the same time, complete with hand gestures (Kyosui) and Rod-swinging (Gozo), which only manages to irritate Reika further and—

“Actually,” Philip says, “Fuuto Tower doesn’t have an underground level.”

Yet another pause, as they all turn to look at Philip.

“Huh?” Gozo says.

Philip blinks. “Don’t you already know that? Fuuto Tower does have a basement parking lot, but it doesn’t have any underground level. There’s a room for maintenance tools in the second floor, water pipe control on the first floor, lights terminals on the third floor, and then CCTV cameras control room on the upper level, but they all could be monitored from _this_ central control room—where all the systems running through Fuuto Tower overlap.” When they all keep staring at him, Philip adds, “It’s all in the Tower’s blueprint.”

He looks at them all expectantly, like he’s waiting for some kind of reaction. Or something _(a praise)_.

Then Philip tilts his head to the side, in that confused gesture that’s _alarmingly_ becoming quite familiar. “Surely you’ve seen the Tower’s blueprint? How else would you plan your attacks if you didn’t even know the terrains?”

Gozo puffs out his chest and knocks his fists together. “Who needs a plan when we could just—“

Katsumi shoves him aside. “Aren’t you a good boy.” Katsumi says to the kid, patting the kid’s head. “Now, tell me more about this blueprint of yours.”

Then, to the astonishment of the rest of NEVER, he gives Philip something close to—but not quite—a _smile_. Considering it’s _Katsumi_ , he’s practically _grinning._

Gozo blinks.

The scene doesn’t change: Katsumi’s hand is still on the kid’s head, while his lips still stretched into that near-smile thing; the fact _Katsumi_ voluntarily touches another person _without_ killing said person is quite a miracle in itself. Especially when the kid keeps beaming at him.

Surreal doesn’t even begin to cover it.

“Think Katsumi-chan’s finally gone soft?” Kyosui whispers right into Gozo’s ear. He sounds strangely happy.

Gozo sends him a warning glare. “DO NOT EVEN.”

“But Gozo-chan!” Kyosui whines, pulling at Gozo’s left arm, “Just look at them together! Maybe Katsumi-chan really does lo—“

BRUGH!

The next second, Kyosui is laying on his back on the floor, with his uniform jacket singed, face covered in burn marks, and the tip of Reika’s heel cutting off the air supply on his neck.

“Finish that sentence,” Reika snarls, her heel pressing down on Kyosui’s neck further, “and you’ll be the first to find out whether we would _really_ come back when _our heads are separated from our bodies._ ”

“Erk.” Is Kyosui’s only reply.

 

 

 **vi.**

“She’s jealous.” Kyosui whispers in Gozo’s ear.

Gozo twitches.

“Just look at how hard she’s glaring at Philip-chan’s back!” Kyosui keeps whispering. “She’s totally jealous now Philip-chan’s here, Katsumi-chan pays less attention to her!”

Reika glares daggers and other sharp, pointy objects at them.

Kyosui promptly hides behind Gozo.

Ken rolls his eyes.

On the other side of the room, the kid is babbling away excitedly at Katsumi, newly-drawn blueprint in hands—oblivious to all the glarings happening behind his back.

 

 

 **vii.**

“Why,” the kid asks, “do you keep calling me ‘the kid’?”

Gozo stares at him.

“I have a name.” The kid is saying, “and it’s Philip, not ‘the kid’. Shoutarou always says it’s rude to call people other than by their designated names, or the names given by their parents.”

Gozo stares some more. Behind him, he could hear Kyosui’s stifled giggling. Bastard.

“I,” Gozo says, “don’t remember ever calling you anything. At all. Including ‘the kid’. So get lost.”

The kid tilts his head to the side. “True. You never say it to my face. But you,” the kid leans forward, peering into his face, and here’s yet another person who doesn’t know the concept of personal space, “use it _in reference_ to me, when you’re talking to Kyosui-chan—“

 _—chan?_ Gozo mouths at Kyosui.

The bastard _winks_ at him.

“—or Ken, or Reika, or Katsumi.” The kid pauses. And then adds, “Or in your monologues.”

“Mono—I don’t do monologues!” Gozo shouts indignantly. Then promptly throws his metal Rod at Kyosui’s way when Kyosui says _he totally does_ under his breath. “Besides, why is Kyosui the only one *you* call with added honorific?”

The kid blinks. “Would you like me to add _\--chan_ to your name as well?”

Eyes wide in horror, Gozo opens his mouth—probably to scream his indignation—but nothing comes out. He shuts his lips. Then opens them again, but still—nothing. It’s—it’s bad enough with Kyosui, but at least that asshole has an excuse. But the thought of some… _little kid_ calling him—the big, bad, scary _him_ —by cutesy honorific like _—chan_ is just—

“Are you okay?” the kid asks, crouching in front of him, since apparently he has fallen to his knees in shock.

 _Him._

Brought to his knees.

Over a stupid honorific.

 _Oh the indignity!_

Faintly, he could hear Kyosui’s roaring laughter in the background.

He glares at the kid. “Don’t you dare— _don’t you dare_ calling me by that— _that—_ ”

“What, Gozo- _chan_?”

Gozo screams. Then lunges for the kid, but the kid jumps out of the way just in time. Damn, but did the kid learn.

“How about this,” the kid’s smile is all teeth, “you call me by my name, and I’ll call you by your name—leaving out the cute honorific, of course.”

Gozo glares at him.

The kid keeps on smiling.

“Fine.” Gozo grits out. “ _Philip_.”

The smile the kid gives him right then? Could practically outshine the sun.

Just saying.

“Aww~ aren’t they _adorable_?” Kyosui coos from where he’s hidden behind the cabinets with Ken, discreetly watching the whole thing.

“…whatever.” Ken says, handing in several thousand Yen bills to Kyosui.

“Why thank you, Ken-chan.” Kyosui grins. “I told you, didn’t I? It’s bad luck to bet against someone who has the entire knowledge on Earth implanted in his head.”

Ken raises an eyebrow. “Actually, you said Gozo is weak against cuteness, and therefore—“

“It’s the same thing!” Kyosui exclaims hastily. Then blinks. “Wait, why is it suddenly so quiet out there? Do you think maybe they—oh, hi there, Gozo-chan! Nice cabinets we have here, eh?” Kyosui smiles winningly at the approaching storm.

Gozo screams.

Kyosui runs.

 _“METAL.”_

“But Gozo-chan! It’s cheating to turn into a Dopant!” comes Kyosui’s shouts. “Gozo-chan! Besides, why are you only chasing me? Ken-chan was also there! Gozo—”

BOOM!

 _“LUNA.”_

CRASH!

“…is it okay not to stop them?” Philip asks, as the sounds of destruction continue to be heard.

“Let them be.” Ken says. “In the meantime, would you like some tea?”

 

 

 **viii.**

“Hey, Philip-chan.” Kyosui says, “would you like a bath?”

Time freezes.

They all stare at Kyosui, who has his eyes on Philip, whose attention solely on Kyosui.

“Huh?” Philip says.

“No, it’s just,” Kyosui gestures vaguely with his hand, “that cut on your cute face still has yet to be cleaned. And you still got some dirt on you. I mean, if you didn’t clean it up soon, there would be spots on your skin, and that’s just…” Kyosui emphasizes it with a shudder.

 _You’re the only one who cares about such thing, you extravagant exhibitionist…!_ is what Gozo thinks but doesn’t say.

“Eh?” Philip says, looking a bit put out. “But Shoutarou’s not here, though.”

A pause.

“Shoutarou? You mean your detective partner? But what does he have to do with this?” Kyosui asks, voicing out Gozo (and most probably all of them)’s question.

“But Shoutarou always helps me take a bath.” Philip says bewilderingly. “I couldn’t take a bath if Shoutarou’s not here.”

 _Just how old are you, kidddd???_ Gozo wants to shout but has to bite his lips in order not to. He also has to resist the strong urge to facepalm. _Honestly!_

On the other hand, Kyosui seems to brighten by tenfold. “Oh really! Why don’t I help you in his place, then?”

Another pause, as they all try to process that offer statement.

Philip tilts his head to the side. Blinks slowly. And then, “…sure.”

Kyosui beams.

After their departure, Gozo immediately elbows Katsumi. “Oi, Katsumi, are you sure it’s wise to let Kyosui bathe the kid?”

Katsumi frowns at him. “Why shouldn’t I?”

Gozo gives him a _look._ “Katsumi, I know you’re rather slow when it comes to human relationship, but seriously. It’s _Kyosui._ ”

Katsumi continues to stare at him.

Gozo resists the urge to scream. “It’s _Kyosui!_ The one whose hobby is to give people a full body hug at all times! _That_ Kyosui!”

Gozo waits, as Katsumi’s brain’s probably working hard to solve just why it’s not okay to let Kyosui bathe _anybody._

“Ah.” Katsumi says, finally getting it. Gozo breathes a sigh of relief. Then Katsumi turns to the rest of the room and announces, “I don’t care who, but somebody please replace Kyosui to help Philip.”

Again, Gozo resists the urge to facepalm. Fine, he could admit Katsumi’s a strong fighter, but when it comes to certain matters… he immediately pulls Katsumi aside again.

“Katsumi, let me tell you, I won’t come within ten feet of that kid, so you could count me out. And maybe you should count Ken and Reika out too, since Ken would just stand there coolly and let the kid drown himself, while Reika would totally dunk the kid’s head under the water, and would be all too happy to let him stay there!”

Katsumi stares at him some more.

“Yes, Katsumi.” Gozo spells out patiently, “I’m saying _you_ should do it.”

Katsumi rolls his eyes. “Fine.”

A few minutes later, Kyosui could be seen crying outside the bathroom door.

“But Katsumi-chan~” Kyosui whines. “The bathroom still has some room for another person! In fact, it still has some room for a few other persons! I know, why don’t we have a group bath instead? We could rub each other’s back or something!”

Gozo pretends he couldn’t hear anything from the direction of the bathroom, and resolves himself to forget the last hour has ever happened.

 

 

 **ix.**

“Look, Katsumi,” Gozo says, pressing one hand to his forehead in order to fend off the impending headache, “It’s obvious Philip couldn’t wear his clothes back, since his clothes are dirty. DIRTY. And in case you forgot, we’re partly responsible for that!”

Katsumi stares at him. “Oi Ken.” he addresses the Trigger Memory user, “Go and fetch his clothes from the detective agency.”

Gozo closes his eyes. Then tells himself to please calm down, since if he hit Katsumi, Katsumi would retaliate by fifty fold, and he might not be able to die (permanently) but the reviving process is still very painful.

“No, Katsumi, you couldn’t do that either, since that partner of Philip would know where he is, and we really wouldn’t want him to even *try* foiling our grand plan, do we?”

Katsumi looks like he’s resisting his automatic urge to sneer at the mention of Philip’s partner. He fails, but Gozo still gives him points for trying.

“So what, we should just let him run around naked in a towel?”

How Katsumi even says that kind of thing with a totally straight face, Gozo _has no idea._ On the other hand, Kyosui looks like Christmas has come early. Tch. Gozo glares at them all hatefully.

“No, Katsumi.” It certainly feels like he’s repeated that sentence way too many times by now. “I’m saying you should lend Philip *your* spare clothes.”

Katsumi stares him down some more.

Gozo sighs, and resists the urge to scowl. “Ken’s would be too tall for Philip, while Kyosui’s and my clothes would be way too big on him. We probably should give him Reika’s, but she would probably lace it with poison before giving it to Philip. So yours is the only choice.”

If looks could kill… Gozo would most definitely be six feet under by now.

“Now go back to the bathroom and give him your clothes.” Gozo says. “The bathwater is probably already cold by now.”

Katsumi frowns. “You know,” he says with something between a sneer and a smirk, “I have this strange feeling you’re giving me _orders._ But it couldn’t be, could it?” and then with lasting look, he turns away, back to the direction of the bathroom.

“Of course not, ahahaha.” Gozo says hastily. And then adds under his breath, “…jackass.”

Katsumi pauses. Then turns his head around, eyes slightly narrowed. “I heard that.”

“Of course you do.” Gozo scowls. “It’s meant to be heard, after all.”

Katsumi smiles.

Gozo blinks. _Oh crap._ “…oops?”

BANG!

A few moments later, when Gozo finally opens his eyes again, Kyosui’s face immediately fills his range of vision.

“Urgh.” Gozo says, turning away.

“…Gozo-chan! Are you okay?” Kyosui asks worriedly.

Taking a deep breath, Gozo tries to regulate his breathing. “I’ve been meaning to ask,” he tells Kyosui, “why is it when it’s you, Katsumi only gives you a few kicks; but when it’s *me*, he shoots me in the head?”

“But you’re a Metal Memory user, Gozo-chan!” Kyosui exclaims in his usual extravagant manner. “So perhaps Katsumi-chan finds it painful to hit you with a fist or a kick? And you’d barely feel it too!”

Gozo stares at him. “You know, I really hope that’s not it.” He sincerely tells Kyosui. “If only because I’d _totally die laughing if it’s true_.”

 

 

 **x.**

“Hey, hey,” Philip says, “You hate cold, right?”

A sudden silence—as sharp intake of breaths are drawn, as the question instantly puts them all on alert. Of all of the things to ask… Gozo curses. While the four of them might never care of such thing, the remaining one member is quite sensitive ( _violent_ ) about this particular subject. So far, the only person who managed to stay alive after putting the word ‘cold’ and ‘Reika’ in the same sentence is Philip’s partner, and that’s only because he transformed into Double.

So it’s really understandable they all are on alert, since it’s all would be for naught if Reika killed the kid because of some stupid comment about _temperature._

“What about it?” Reika glares at Philip.

“I was just wondering—if you hate cold so much, then why do you insist on making yourself cold?”

“What,” Reika grits her teeth, obviously trying to rein back her temper, “are you talking about?”

“You’re wearing _shorts_ ,” Philip says, gesturing at Reika’s outfit with a hand. “And an unfastened jacket over a tanktop. So of course you’d always be cold—especially in this weather.”

Silence.

Reika blinks. “Huh…?”

Kyosui glances at Gozo, hands over his mouth, looking like he’s on the verge of giggling. Gozo merely frowns at him. “You know, that doesn’t sound… illogical.”

“No, it’s a perfectly logical conclusion—one that’s usually only thought of by kids who have yet been introduced to the world of metaphor.” Kyosui says in a whisper, trying—and failing—to stifle his giggling.

“Are you stupid?” Reika snarls, her hands fist and unfist themselves, clearly itching for a fight. “This has nothing to do with the weather! Aren’t you supposed to have us investigated already? Then you should have known our bodies’ temperatures are always below that of a normal human’s! We can never, _ever_ , be warm!”

Philip blinks. And then he reaches out—

Bad move—since out of the five of them, Reika has the best reflexes, and her reflexes are never _friendly_ to begin with. In a blink, she has Philip pinned to a pillar, one hand around his neck, the other poised in a punch stance.

“Reika-chan—“ Kyosui tries to step in, but Katsumi’s hand on his shoulder stops him. “But Katsumi-chan—“

Katsumi shakes his head. “Just wait.”

“Shoutarou always says ‘it’s all in the mind.’” Philip says, his hand touching Reika’s, his fingers tracing the visible veins on the inside of Reika’s wrist. “If we think we’re—monsters, then we’re monsters. If we think we’re cold, then we’re cold. And if we think we’re warm,” he uncurls Reika’s fingers from around his neck, and presses them to his cheek instead, “then we _are_ warm.”

Reika just stares at him. Or, more specifically, at the way he cradles her hand, at the way he doesn’t flinch from her abnormal temperature, at the way he doesn’t look at all wary of her, at the way he—

“So I have to ask,” Philip says, looking at her, _smiling_ at her, “are you warm, Reika?”

And Reika doesn’t—Reika is—

Reika just—

“S-stop joking around!” she shouts, pushing him off. And she watches as he stumbles to the floor, as he looks up at her not in anger, not in fear, but more in bewilderment, and she’s just—

“As I thought, I really hate you, after all.” She spats, her tone purposefully hurtful. Then she storms out of the room without a backward glance, leaving behind warm air and residual heat in the spaces she passes.

They all stare at the doorway in silence.

“Ah.” Philip says, his hand reaches for the nearly visible traces of the Heat Dopant’s influence in the air. “Reika is really warm after all.”

“Hey, Gozo-chan.” Kyosui says, pulling at Gozo’s arm, “She was totally blushing just now, right? It…wasn’t actually a flush of anger on her face, right? Right?”

Gozo merely shifts back to his default expression for every situation: scowling.

Kyosui turns his attention to Ken instead. “Right, Ken-chan?”

Ken merely raises an eyebrow at him.

“Aww~ Ken-chan! What a cool response!” Kyosui beams. Then latches himself onto Ken.

Gozo scowls some more.

“You sure it’s not only the Dopant’s influence?” Katsumi asks, letting Philip use his arm to help himself up.

“No.” Philip shakes his head. “I’m also a Heat Memory user. I know its characteristics. It’s attracted to Reika not because she’s cold. It’s attracted to her because—“ his eyes flick to Katsumi’s face for a second, and then just—lingers.

“It’s…” Philip’s voice is so very, very soft, “…for the same reason Eternal Memory called for you, Katsumi.”

Just then, Gozo could swear the temperature suddenly drops a few degrees.

Katsumi’s expression doesn’t—change, but something about his eyes—

“Aaa Philip-chan!” Kyosui exclaims, putting his arm around Philip and steering him a safe distance away from Katsumi. “You were curious how Luna created all those Masquerade Dopants illusions, right? Let me show you how!”

“Ehh?! Really?!” Philip says excitedly, nearly jumping up and down around Kyosui’s arm.

“Really! Really!” Kyosui nods vigorously, pulling the boy out of the room faster. “See, the first thing you’ve got to do is—“

Kyosui’s voice trails off in the room, getting lower and lower as he gets further away from this place.

 _Nice save, Kyosui!_ Gozo coughs. He looks at Ken, only to realize Ken is no longer in the room. He blinks. That bastard…! When did he…?

And then Gozo—discreetly—glances at Katsumi’s still form. “Right. I’ll just,” Gozo says a little desperately, trying not to make it too obvious he’s running away, “make sure they don’t end up destroying the tower further. Or something.”

And then he lets himself out, hurrying after the kid and Kyosui and Ken, trying not to imagine the state the control room would be in when they go back—especially considering how rigid and stiff Katsumi’s back looks just now, or just how tightly wound he seems.

Some things are just better left alone.

 

 

 **xi.**

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Kyosui tells Philip curiously, “you’re the creator of the T1 Gaia Memories, right? Then how come you don’t seem to know anything about them? I mean, every time a new Dopant appeared, it seemed you had to guess which Gaia Memory it came from.”

Gozo and Ken stare at him.

“What?” Kyosui raises an eyebrow. “I did read the reports!”

Gozo continues to stare in disbelief.

“…unbelievable.” Ken says.

“ _Excuse me?_ ” Kyosui claims indignantly. “I _am_ Katsumi’s right hand man for a reason, you meanie!”

“Are you sure it’s not because Katsumi’s tired of listening to your whining?” Gozo asks.

Kyosui smiles at him. “I know I tried to jump you the least for a reason.”

“Which I’m endlessly grateful for, let me tell you!” Gozo glares.

Kyosui smirks. “Oh, but your face tells a different story, Gozo-chan~”

“Why you…!”

“Guys, guys.” Philip says, trying to contain his laugh behind a hand. “No, no. Kyosui’s right, actually. I’ve been wondering about the same thing.”

“You do?” Kyosui asks, stars in his eyes.

“The thing about Gaia Memories is that, they have— _wills_.” Philip says, looking down at the three dysfunctional T1 Gaia Memories he still carries with him. “They may not be sentient like Fang, but they do have wills. One does not choose a Memory; _the Memory chooses them_.”

“Huh? How that’s even possible?” Gozo frowns.

Philip smiles at him. “You tell me. I remember when you found Metal Memory, you claimed how you finally found ‘the right one.’” He leans forward slightly. “What made you say that at the time, Gozo?” Philip asks, walking toward Gozo in slow, measured steps. “Was it because you feel something _clicked_ in your head? Was it because you heard some compelling voices whispering to you, telling you _’this is it’_ …?”

Kyosui coughs.

Gozo blinks. Philip’s face is right in front of his own, his eyes a bottomless pit of dark orbs, the tips of their noses nearly touching. When did he…?

“Don’t be absurd.” Gozo scowls, and instantly sidesteps him, moving further away—careful to put as much distance between him and the kid as possible. But still Kyosui’s unsubtle smirk compels him to punch the light out of the T2 Luna Memory user—which he tries to resist, since it would just prove Kyosui’s point.

“He didn’t deny it, though.” Kyosui’s smirk grows broader.

Gozo promises himself to crush Kyosui the first chance he got.

“If the T2 Memories’ forces are already _that_ strong, just imagine the forces of the T1 Memories, which are still in their raw forms, totally unpolished.”

“Are you saying the T1 Memories are stronger than their T2 counterparts?” Ken asks, a thoughtful look on his face.

“No.” Philip says, tilting his head to the side. “No, I’m saying the T2 versions are _safer_. You could draw out the maximum potential of the Memory without the risk of going berserk, or getting out-of-control.”

“Ah! I get it!” Kyosui exclaims, clapping his hands together. “So in essence, the T1 Memories are just like a bunch of moody emo punk kids, while the T2 versions are more like the obedient honor students type, right?”

Gozo smacks him on the head. “Be serious for once, you moron!”

Philip merely tilts his head further. “You know, that comparison is strangely… accurate. In a way.”

Gozo blinks. “Seriously?”

Kyosui puffs out his chest proudly. “See?”

“That still doesn’t answer Kyosui’s initial question, though.” Ken says.

“No, it’s just that—” there’s this complicated twist on the corner of Philip’s lips, like he couldn’t decide what kind of expression is appropriate to use. “It’s just that, unlike the T1 versions, the T2 Memories do not try to push me away.”

Silence, as the three of them stare at Philip.

“Huh?” Gozo says.

“The thing is,” Philip says, and there’s this downcast look about him, “Even if I couldn’t remember *how* I made all those Gaia Memories, they still recognize me as their creator. And they feel…betrayed, I guess? For being forgotten.” Philip blinks rapidly. “For being left behind.”

“Ah.” Kyosui says. “Just like children who are abandoned by their parents! They hold resentments, because they don’t understand why their parents leave them; especially when their parents choose to adopt other children, instead of picking up their own!”

Philip blinks.

Gozo smacks Kyosui on the head. Again. “Could you please stop it with all those weird comparisons?”

“It’s… strangely accurate, though.” Philip says, holding up his three T1 Gaia Memories.

Kyosui beams smugly at Gozo.

Gozo smacks him again.

“After all,” Philip continues, “the ones Shoutarou and I use are the ones given by Shroud. Especially also considering as the creator, I’m actually compatible by default to all kind of Gaia Memories.” His grip tightens on the Memories he’s holding, “…and yet, I never try to use any of them.”

And then Philip gets this sad look on his face, one that makes even Gozo hesitate.

“Any particular reason?” Ken, bless him for always being level-headed and reliable, asks.

“Any Gaia Memories we encountered, usually always got destroyed by Double’s Memory Break. Shoutarou said it was the only way to save the human user.”

“Shoutarou?” Kyosui asks. Then his face brightens. “Ah! Your cute detective partner!”

Philip blinks. “…cute?”

Gozo tries to smack Kyosui, but he manages to dodge at the last second.

“He that important to you?” Ken asks Philip. “You granted his wish to save humans before your own desire.”

Philip looks at him. “…my desire?”

“To research the Gaia Memories on your own terms.” Ken explains. “With your faulty memories, surely you would want to research them from the start, right?” when Philip keeps staring at him, Ken gives him a shrug. “I don’t know, it just seems like something you’d do.”

“As expected from Ken-chan! Such a cool observation!” Kyosui exclaims. Then glomps Ken.

“Regardless of the reason,” Philip says determinedly, “Shoutarou is important to me. I will _never_ forgive anyone who tries to hurt him. Including you… Katsumi.”

“Eh?” they all blink. And then follow Philip’s line of sight.

There, standing just within the entrance, with the hallway lights illuminating his profile, is none other than the self-appointed leader of NEVER, Daido Katsumi, with Reika just trailing slightly behind.

Ken immediately stands on attention.

Gozo gulps. How long have they been…?

“Mou~ Katsumi-chan! You should stop sneaking around like that!” Kyosui claims cheerfully.

But it’s like Katsumi couldn’t even hear him; or more like, doesn’t even realize he’s there. His whole attentions are directed to Philip and Philip alone. He steps forward, one step by one step, slowly but surely, until he’s just a step away from where Philip’s standing.

Gozo holds his breath. Beside him, he could feel Kyosui tense, likely in preparation to—intervene.

Then Katsumi reaches out, his touch unusually gentle on Philip’s cheek, and pulls Philip’s head to his shoulder, and then just—holds him.

“Maaan, I’m so jealous~” the tone he’s using is light, and his intonation makes it sound playful, but the look on his face is—

Gozo gulps again.

It’s like Katsumi’s declaring _war._

“Katsumi…?” Philip says, voice muffled, pushing at Katsumi’s chest lightly. But when Katsumi finally lets him look up, Katsumi’s earlier look is gone—like it has never been there at all. The face he shows Philip is his usual one, the one with the smirk and belittling eyes and—

A near smile.

“Well.” Katsumi says, ruffling Philip’s hair. “We have our deal.” He shrugs. “You do your part, and I’ll *try* not to do _anything unplanned_.” He gives Philip another near-smile, this one lasts longer than the ones he’s given him so far.

Gozo and Kyosui exchange glances.

“Right.” Katsumi claps his hands together once, before turning around and striding to the center of the room. “Professor Maria,” he addresses the room at large, “would be here soon, and we should be able to start our plan once she arrives. Reika,” he turns to the doorway, “go to that place I’ve told you about. Make sure you do it properly this time.” _Or else_ is not said, but it’s clearly implied.

Reika salutes him once. And then turns away and disappear in the corridor.

“Ken and Kyosui,” he turns to them next, “I need you two to stand by front gate. You know what to do.”

Ken salutes him, while Kyosui flies him a kiss. Just before he passes the doorway, Kyosui waves energetically at Philip, shouting, “See you later, Philip-chan!!!”

“…and?” Katsumi says.

“What?” Gozo says, because it’s clear Katsumi isn’t addressing Philip.

Katsumi looks at him sideways. “You look like you’ve got something to say.”

Gozo scowls. “Oh I have plenty, alright.” He sighs. Then walks towards Philip. “Yo, kid.”

“I’m not a—” he starts to protest, but Gozo’s laughter cuts him off.

And then Gozo smiles at him—because unlike that jerk Ken and that asshole Katsumi, Gozo could smile _properly._ You know, the kind of smile that lights up your entire face, starting from the corners of your lips, and then spreads to the your eyes? Yes, that kind of smile.

“Gozo, why. Why do you look so sa—”

Gozo puts his large hand on top of Philip’s head. “You’re still annoying, but I think I’ve gotten used to you now. Besides, this NEVER’s outfit,” he tidies up the collars of Philip’s jacket, and then rests both hands on Philip’s shoulders, “really suits you. Kinda made me wish you were around from the start to annoy us. I’m sure Kyosui thinks the same.”

Philip stares at him. “Gozo—”

“So. _Philip._ ” He emphasizes the name, “until me meet again. _Wherever_ that may be.”

And then he backs away slowly, turning around just as he reaches Katsumi. “What a liar.” He whispers, making sure it’s for Katsumi’s ears only.

“I never say I’m _not_ one.” Katsumi whispers just as low. “But you’ve always known that.”

Gozo chuckles. “That, I have.” He sends a wry smile Katsumi’s way. “I was hoping I was wrong, though.” Then in a louder voice, he says, “I’ll leave the rest to you, then, O Fearless Leader.” He salutes them both, and then closes the door properly behind him.

He takes a deep breath. Looks at the closed door for another moment.

It feels, strangely enough, like it’d be his _last._

And then, with a final, lingering glance at the door, and more especially, the rising hope just beyond that door, Gozo goes to his designated post, and just—

Wishes for the best.

.

.

.

End.


End file.
